The 26-year-old from Bishopbriggs runs Bad Pony Productions, directing and producing a pilot for gritty crime drama Ninety-Eight Percent, which is due to have its premiere screening at the Glasgow Film Theatre next month and will be shown on Propeller (Sky 195) at 8pm on March 31.
He has also played at major music festivals as the drummer with 'Stutter Bunny' and Bad Pony's short film, 'Looking After Mum' was nominated for BAFTA's '60 Seconds of Fame' award.

Where did your interest in film-making come from?
I just started to film everything when I was eight and, at Turnbull High, I documented what life was like in secondary school.
Teachers were always telling me to put the camera down but I kind of became part of the furniture and people got used to it.
The first film I remember seeing was Night of the Living Dead. George A. Romero made that the same way we have made Ninety Eight Percent. He had no budget but got a bunch of friends and used local locations to make this world-famous film.

Does having budget constraints force you to think more creatively?
Definitely. I had to use my home as the main character's house and we decided it would be set on fire.
We actually made a proper petrol bomb and threw it at the house, but we had the hall done up with protective gear and put a fake floor down.
The rest was done with clever lighting and shot from a distance.


Do you get a lot of questions while you are filming in the area?
People tend to come over and ask if we are filming Taggart.
We also filmed a chase scene involving a car and some of us dressed like neds. A gang of teenagers spotted this, ran away, then came back with their friends thinking we were starting a fight.
It was a nightmare to sort out but I suppose what we were doing must have looked convincing.

What is Ninety Eight Percent about?
It is Glasgow based crime drama
set amongst the criminal underworld, but it is filled with characters everyone will recognise.
The main character, Casey
Spencer, is a sociopath lesbian drug dealer. She is a real nutcase who you wouldn't want to
be friends with. But you won't want the police to catch her
either.
However, the girl playing her, Emma Ashby, is one of the nicest, softest people you could ever meet.

Are you looking forward to the premiere screening?
I am, but it is scary too.
Two years ago there was no actors or company or anything but an idea and now we have network interest.
BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Living and a couple of independent companies are coming so we will really find out how the professionals feel about our work.
The Scottish Broadcast Commission report claims Scotland can't produce good independent television, but we challenge that.

Why should people watch Ninety Eight Percent?
I know this is cheesy, and I can't believe I'm about to say it, but Ninety Eight Percent is 100 per cent watchable.
We did test screenings with young people, old people, housewives and professionals and every one of them liked it.

If you could have success in either film making or music, which would you choose?
Both. I'm greedy!
The two compliment each other as the first part of they year we could be filming and the second part, touring with the band.

Do you have any advice for aspiring film makers?
I listened too much to people who said I would never be a director so I would say you should never let people like that get you down.
You can achieve what you want if you have your head screwed on right and know what your limitations are.
We always try to make things happen instead of waiting for good luck. If you have a team around you who are all good at different things, you can move mountains.

• More information is available at www.ninetyeightpercent.co.uk and at www.badponyproductions.co.uk

Getting to know you
First record: It was either Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr or Snooker Loopy by Chas 'n' Dave
First car: Still to be bought
Book last read: The Psychopath Next Door - as research for Ninety Eight Percent
Favourite TV show: The Munsters - we will be filming a documentary with the remaining cast members soon
Favourite holiday destination: Aberdeen
Famous person most like to meet: George A. Romero